So Do You Support Ron Paul?

Dear Madame L,

Thanks for your post about the Republican candidates. It sounds like you watch MSNBC (the liberal answer to Fox News) but you also like libertarian ideas because you posted a link to Erin McBride's blog and mentioned that she has conservative libertarian views.

So, do you support Ron Paul?

Sincerely,

Still Undecided

Dear Undecided,

Thanks for letting Madame L clarify her position on the Republican primary candidates and MSNBC.

First, Madame L watches MSNBC for the news, which is truly fair and balanced. It's not just for liberals, and the idea that Fox News lives up to its slogan in any way makes Madame L want to laugh or puke. 

In addition to the straight news shows, some of the MSNBC programs are political commentary with a liberal point of view, which Madame L likes because even then the commentators admit that they are espousing a certain point of view and also because even the most liberal among them often criticize Pres. Obama and other liberal and Democratic leaders.

By the way, here's Rachel Maddow, an MSNBC commentator, explaining why MSNBC is NOT just Fox News for liberals.

Secondly, Madame L thinks she might support a true libertarian someday. And Madame L fully supports Erin's right to explain her views in the blogosphere even though Madame L doesn't agree with Erin on politics. 

However, Ron Paul is not that. He is a racist misogynist hypocritical opportunistic lying politician. Strong words? True words. Here's why:

He supported racist views in his newsletters and has since lied about them.

He wants the government to get out of people's lives, except for women, who he thinks need the government to tell them if they need medical help.  And that's not just be because he wants Iowa conservatives to vote for him. He's held this position for years.

And he's a true friend of the 1 percent.

Finally, why is Ron Paul even running for president? There's no chance he can even win the Republican nomination, because he's unelectable and everyone, including him, knows it; and if he goes with a third party, he'll completely mess up the Republicans' chances of electing anyone. 

So that's the real question: Why is Ron Paul running for president? Answering that question will explain a lot. Madame L will write about that sometime soon.

Take care, really, TAKE CARE, and pay attention, and thanks for asking,

Madame L 

Republican Primary Contestants and Debates

Dear Madame L,

I'm having such a hard time caring about the Republican presidential candidates and their shenanigans. I'm trying to be a good citizen and pay attention. I even tried to watch that debate last week, but I kept having to change the channel because it was so painful. I've gone back to getting my news from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

Do you have any suggestions for how to be an informed voter and responsible citizen, without having to watch people bash each other, tell lies, and pretend to be decent people when they've behaved despicably in the past?

Sincerely,

Not Into the Fray

Dear Not Into It,

Madame L has several suggestions that might help you. First, though, she gives you props for getting your news from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. So, further suggestions and random thoughts:

---Saturday Night Live sketches often cut to the bone in the same way that Stewart and Colbert do.

---Madame L finds the standard network news broadcasts to be generally reliable, too. 

---Madame L likes to watch "The Last Word" with Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC for his generally reliable, and liberal, take on the political news. 

---Madame L used to watch and would like to continue to watch Rachel Maddow except that Madame L hates to be lectured and talked down to. 

---Madame L watches "Hardball" with Chris Matthews sometimes, but not as often as she used to, because Madame L hates to be shouted at and even to watch other people shouting at each other.

---Madame L never watches watch Fox News any more, because it affects her the same way the debates seem to affect you.

---If reading would be less emotionally troubling than watching the debates, Madame L suggests you try the network news stations' websites. For example, here's a full transcript from ABC News of tlast week's Iowa Republican candidate debates. 

---Other bloggers often post summaries and analyses. For example, Erin McBride's blog "Swing State Voter" provides information about the candidates and the debates; and Erin makes it clear what her own views are (conservative and libertarian), so you don't have to wonder where she stands or if she's trying to pull something on you.

---Online newspapers also have blogs about the caucuses and debates. Here's the NY Times political blog; here are the Washington Post's political columns and blogs; and here are links to the liberal Slate Magazine's news and political pages and Salon.com's political pages. 

Other Dear Readers, please feel free to offer your suggestions.

Sincerely,

Madame L

(Full disclosure: In case you haven't noticed, Madame L's politics run to the liberal side. While she welcomes civil and helpful suggestions from her Dear and Careful Readers on this topic, as she does on every topic, she doesn't want to have an argument or even a mild disagreement with anyone about politics. She's just answering this question, not trying to start a debate.)

Letters to Congress

Dear Madame L,

Taking your advice, I wrote the following letter to my Member of Congress:

[Congressperson's Name Here]:

Please vote IN FAVOR OF the tax-relief bill the Senate has just passed.

Even though it's only for 2 months, it's better than nothing. I wish you and your party would stop trying to make life harder for people like me and my family.It may be just politics to you, a lot of game-playing, but to me it means money that my family needs.

I can't believe that House Leader Boehner thinks he can get away with this kind of maneuvering. The only reason it works is that people like you are willing to go along with it, instead of representing the people of your district.

PLEASE start representing ALL OF US in the Third District, and stop kowtowing to the rich people.

You were not elected in order to get Pres. Obama out of office (the stated goal of Republican leaders). You were elected to represent our needs at the national level. This includes SUPPORTING our PRESIDENT, who is doing an incredible job in the face of constant opposition from your party. Continuing to play this game makes our country no better than some third-world banana republic, with regular people getting poorer and poorer while people like you rake in the money from your rich contributors.

Sincerely,

[My Name Here]

What do you think, Madame L? Do you think this kind of letter will help?

Sincerely,

Angry and Frustrated

Dear Angry and Frustrated,

Madame L applauds your letter-writing and would not presume to criticize you for the anger you have expressed in your letter.

Madame L has found some good tips for writing letters to Senators and Representatives. Some examples:

From About.Com: This site suggests a straightforward three-paragraph structure and provides sample letters as well as contact information.

From CitizenRedress.Com: This site provides even more information on how to contact your Senators and Representative and how to track their voting and legislative records.

From Bread.Org: This site explains why hand-written letters are more effective than any other form of communication with Members of Congress, gives the important points to include in letters, and provides a sample letter addressing the issue of hunger in America.

There are many other informational sites, but Madame L thinks you can get the information you need from the ones she has listed here.

You seem to have followed most of the rules, including addressing one major issue, keeping your letter short and to the point.

Keep working at making our representative government work!

Best,

Madame L

House of Representatives?

Dear Madame L,

I just read an online article about the latest ploy by Republicans in the House of Representatives to slow down the economy and make poor people suffer even more as the holidays approach and the New Year waits to be rung in.

Here's the first part of the article:

"(Reuters) - With a tax cut for 160 million U.S. workers set to expire in less than two weeks, Republicans and Democrats in Congress on Monday were mired in a last-ditch battle over extending it.

"In a surprise turnabout, Republicans in the House of Representatives are now pushing for a one-year extension of the payroll tax cut and have rejected a short-term compromise struck by Republicans and Democrats in the Senate during the weekend.

"House Republicans initially opposed renewing the tax break, which expires on December 31, after expressing skepticism that it would boost the economy as the White House claimed."

Madame L, I was surprised to read that anyone thought this was a "surprise turnabout." Why are we surprised any more when Rep. Boehner and his gang change their minds? They're just going back to their original position, of opposing the payroll tax cut. I'm guessing they were just disappointed that the Senate didn't make it easier for them.

What do you think, Madame L?

Sincerely,

Not Surprised, But Still Puzzled, And Speechless

Dear Not Surprised,

Madame L is also not surprised, still puzzled, but not speechless, though close to it. You've summed up the situation very well, and Madame L can only add this:

Dear Gentle and Concerned Readers, Please write to your Members of Congress to urge them to stop playing political games with our lives and our economy.

Here's the contact information: 

House of Representatives Contact List

Senate Contact List

If we want to be represented, we must make our views known. As always, Madame L urges all her Dear Readers to make their views known, even if their views are different from hers.

Best Wishes,

Madame L

The Sunday Book Review, December 18, 2011: The Juggler of Our Lady

Madame L is happy to have found a modern telling of a Christmas tale that doesn't clunk along through a bunch of formulaic plot points and stereotypical characters...and does fill the reader with the joy of Christmas.

This book is "The Juggler of Our Lady," by R.O. Blechman. Madame L found this gem in a bookstore's closing-out sale, but it's available at Amazon.com for prices ranging from $13.95 to $39.00. (You can also get from Amazon.com the last remaining 78 RPM vinyl recording of John Nesbitt telling this story; it's used, and it's only $9.00. Can you play 78 RPM vinyl records any more? Madame L cannot.)

This is apparently a medieval tale and there must be many versions of it available, besides those Madame L found at Amazon.com (though it's not available at Powells.com).

Imagine having only one skill, juggling; and living in a community of people who have many other skills to offer as their Christmas gifts to the Holy Mother of Christ.

Imagine being discouraged not only at the beautiful gifts the others give but also at the competitive nature of their gift-giving. 

Imagine giving your gift, the one you've spent your whole life learning and perfecting, worrying that it won't be good enough, and wearing yourself out by the time Christmas morning comes as you perform for the Holy Virgin. 

Imagine the others denigrating your gift and criticizing it as impious, sacrilegious, and so on. 

Finally, imagine the way the Virgin responds to this gift from the heart.

The version of the book Madame L has is illustrated by R.O. Blechman, and the preface is written by Maurice Sendak. It's beautiful. But don't worry if you can't buy it. 

Just imagine it, as the artist did, and then imagine what marvelous gift YOU can give to God this Christmas season.

Blessings to all,

Madame L

G-Mail Password Problems

Dear Madame L,

I kept getting email messages from the people at G-mail saying I should change my password, so I finally did, and then immediately I started getting spam and junk in my inbox. I feel sconged!

Sincerely,

What's Up?

Dear What's Up,

Madame L feels your pain, and wishes she could explain this problem and, better yet, do something about it.

All she can do for now, though, is suggest that you change your password again, and this time change it to one that's harder for hackers to figure out.  

Here's the Official Gmail Blog webpage, where you can supposedly get the help you need.

Here's a Gmail response to a question like your own. 

And here's another helpful page on how to keep those "phishers" from catching any information from you.

Best of luck,

Madame L 

Refusing to Give in to Greed

Dear Readers,

Madame L wants to share this story with you, a story of light and goodness for the Christmas season.

When police were told to evict 103-year-old Vita Lee from her home of 53 years, they refused.

The day after Atlanta station WSB-TV reported on this story, they were able to add the following note:

"Chase Bank, the servicer of the mortgage for Deutsche Bank, has notified Vita Lee that Chase and Deutsche will not take possession of the home."